Australian Open 2012 Scores: Rafael Nadal Makes It Look Easy in 3rd Round

For the seventh time in the last eight years, Rafael Nadal has made it as far as the fourth round at the Australian Open.

The one year he didn't go to the fourth round, for the record, was 2006, when Nadal missed the Australian Open with a foot injury.

Nadal got to the fourth round with ease at this year's open, dispatching Lukas Lacko in straight sets in the third round 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

I have to admit, it did cross my mind that Lacko might give Nadal some trouble in this match, and I even went so far as to write that Nadal couldn't afford to underestimate him.

It was difficult to tell just by watching if Nadal was underestimating Lacko out on the court, but there were times when Nadal seemed to be playing with him. Despite his best efforts, Lacko was no match for Nadal in the first set, and things only went downhill from there.

The match stats suggest that Lacko was more Nadal's equal in the second set, but he really wasn't. Nadal scored an early break, and then he went into energy conservation mode. He let (for lack of a better word) Lacko win a couple games, but Nadal took care of business when he was serving and ultimately took the set 6-4.

After that, Lacko was pretty much finished, as Nadal put his foot back on the gas pedal and won the third set 6-2 in an easy 33 minutes.

Once again, Nadal's heavily wrapped right knee didn't seem to be bothering him at all. He had no trouble moving around, and in fact looked perfectly fine. It's only becoming more and more apparent that his right knee is not as bad as it looks.

Regardless, Nadal has to be happy with the way this trip to the Open is going so far. He hasn't dropped a set yet, and he's not wearing himself out just so he can win every single point. He's lost his share of points fair and square, but he's also conceded more than a few. 

This is what Nadal needs to do at this stage of his career. It will help keep him fresh, and it will save his body from further wear and tear. He's still in magnificent shape, but he really can't afford to push his luck with his body.

From the look of things, he's not. That's bad news for his opponents. As long as Nadal is fit, he can beat anyone.